Area Rugs Buyers Guide

Your floors will usually be the foundation for your design, the addition of area rugs will define what each area of the room will be used for such as, separating a group sitting area, from a reading corner.

A genuine hand made rug can visually integrate or harmonize diverse elements in any decor or can re-energize a room.

Below are various factors to consider for purchasing and decorating with a rug :

Size of the Rug - Area to be covered

Size up the room and the area you want to cover.

The most common area rug sizes are 4-by-6 and 6-by-9 feet. They work well under a coffee table. An 8-by-10-foot area rug or larger can cover an entire room.

Smaller area rugs and scatter rugs can be ideal for adorning smaller spaces, for instance a hearth, a bedside, the area in front of a kitchen sink.



Living Room

In a living room area rugs would most likely be placed in front of the sofa and under the coffee table.

To place a room-sized area rug on a hardwood floor , choose an area rug which allows eight inches of wood to be exposed around the rug's perimeter.

Measure the open space up to the sofa and chairs making sure that the individual seated will have both feet on the area rug. More than one area rug is acceptable.

Dining Room

There should be room to pull the chairs out from the table with the back legs of the chairs remaining on the area rug.

Bedroom

I do not recommend a room size Persian/Oriental area rug for the bedroom. Most of the pattern will be hidden under the bed in the dark making the rug prone to moth damage.

Instead, use multiple area rugs . A rug at the foot of the bed and two on each side Or use several scatter rugs to fill areas around the bed as needed. It will actually cost less and compliment your furnishings better.

Furnishings

Begin with the end in mind. Visualize the finished look of the room. Do you prefer the sparse, uncluttered look or a room rich with colors and textures?

Remember that a rug is the largest splash of color in any room. Select your rug first, and then the upholstery to blend with the rug. Furniture should boost the rug design or colors found in the rug.

Next comes window treatments and walls; neutral shades are recommended.

Elements of an area rugs design can be further incorporated into the overall design scheme. For example, if the rug is floral, add framed prints or flowers in similar colors.

Conversely, should your focal point be furniture, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. Patterns can be mixed if they are coordinated by color.

Should you use one rug or two?

• One rug is the general rule as it coordinates the room together and helps select fabrics for furniture, curtains, etc.

• In a very large room, more than one rug can be used to separate the room. The designs of the area rugs should be different enough to create spatial separation, but similar in color and quality to maintain the integrity of the room space.

Two or more area rugs should complement each other.

• One needs to be dominant in size.

• They should be similar in at least design/color/size

• Smaller rugs should not look like clones

Color

If redecorating an already furnished room, choose a rug to pick up the colors used in your furnishing patterns. Paint or paper the walls in colors found in the rug when color coordinating.Look for a rug that has commonality with the existing color of the walls. A rug with a bold, overall design can be the focal point of a room with a chair and sofa in solid or subdued patterns. Light colored rugs make a room look more spacious, and deeper colors lend coziness to a room.

Durability

For floor rugs wool is usually a preferred choice as it resists daily wear better than synthetics. Wool has many wonderful qualities- deep, rich color tones, high durability and relative ease of care.

Silk rugs are better used for walls, throws etc. Living rooms are ideal to showcase silk rugs.

Chromium dyes are strong and deliver consistency and durability of color.

Vegetable dyes give the rug a patina of color, a casual look that is very attractive.

Shape

Let your decorating style determine your area rugs shape. Don’t be limited to the idea of getting a rectangular rug. A circular or octagonal-shaped floor covering can add flair and elegance.

Other considerations:

Medallion design area rugs should be centered in the room and directly under the chandelier. Don't select a busy area rug if the room's color scheme and patterns are busy as well.

Keep your family safe by making sure that rug corners do not extend into high traffic areas. Watch out for the fringe. If the rug you like has fringe, make sure it’s sewn on well, and very carefully use the vacuum cleaner.

Look at the back of a rug, as this will usually tell if it is machine or handmade. If the fibers are stiff and run straight up and down, it's a machine rug.

When buying oriental area rugs, avoid going-out-of-business sales and auctions where sellers aren't likely to be around later if your rug has a problem.

In all rooms try to avoid having the corner of the rug end up in the middle of the doors or archway openings. For smaller rooms, a small pattern is more appropriate. It gives the appearance of a larger room.

If you’re looking for absolute perfection, don’t buy a handmade area rug. Expensive hand-made rugs are not squared off as properly as imitation machine-made reproductions.

Don’t underestimate the value of an underlay. Not only will it absorb the impact of feet and noise, it will reduce wear and tear on the rug and make vacuuming easier. It is recommended to rotate rugs end for end on a yearly basis to equalize wear. Oriental rugs fade, as does upholstery. Avoid direct sunlight.

Another recommendation is to have rugs cleaned professionally periodically by a reputable cleaner. This article has been supplied courtesy of Article City Author: Meena Datta

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